Hi, my lab i think is about to have her first season (spotting blood), i want to know if there is anything xtra i should do for her, (apart from keeping her away from any lurking boys), i know they are in season for a few weeks, but will there be signs that she is at her most fertile, she is just coming up 10 months old so i want to make sure she is ok, i also have her sister so i'm waiting to see if she is coming into season too, if this is the case, will they be ok together.
Thanks for any tips you may be able to give xx julie xx
P.S i know this is not about breeding but it is contected sort of eh um ok maybe not....but if you can help that would be great

There are tablets you can give them to make them less "scented" - Antimate do them, so do Sherley's "Amplex" which I've used in the past and never had "callers".

The most important thing is to never let them outside without you - even accompany them all the time in your garden. A good tip for when they need a walk is to take them in your car to another walking-place. Then when they leave their scent (as is unavoidable) the trail won't lead back to your door.

Be vigilant! In almost 30 years of owning entire bitches I've never had an unplanned litter! :)

Thanks for that, do i get Antimate from the vets or can you get it from petshops.
Apart from that, should i give her anything else, i know when i ovulate i'm parcial (sp?) to a bit of choc, do dogs have similar cravings he he he .

The Antimate comes from the petshops; and I've never noticed any cravings in the girls! They do tend to get a bit tetchy (PMT I suppose!) and/or clingy, but apart from that, just as bonkers as they always are! :)

I wondered about PMT, i keep an eye out for that......one other quick question, mine are both 10 months old, is this about right for there 1st season, and is it roughly 6 mths before they should have there next one, or am i completely off the mark.

Timings between seasons are very much an individual thing to each bitch....mine usually had their first ones at about 8 months, and every 8 months or so after that. Some have longer gaps, others shorter. Best thing is to keep an eye out after about six months and work out what her individual timing is. Good luck! :)

Hi Julie

A bitch is "normally" ovulates at about day 15 ish... the discharge changes from blood to pink to clear at about that time ... but most bitches tend to keep themselves quite clean and it may not be very obvious when the discharge changes colour. She may get a little "exciteable" about that time and may wish to rape anything in sight!... The season generally lasts 3-4 weeks the safest sign of completion is to watch for the swelling to go back to normal. When this happens it is worth giving her a good wash to remove any odour which may attract unwelcome attention from other dogs and she should be safe to go out.
Keep a note of the date of her season for future reference can be handy to know if she has a regular cycle.

Al